Chronicling the spread of freedom & democracy.

October 07, 2009

It's been a good run, but The Big Orange has run out of gas. Doug's primary responsibility has to be to his ministry, as he indicates:

An era has come to an end. My recent health problems are attributed to my working too much. Therefore I need to cut back on some of our ministries. One of the projects I have decided to end is The Big Orange. It has been a joy to keep you all informed of events on this side of the world, but it made no sense to cut back on ministries and maintain this column. I hope you understand.

We want to thank Doug for his many months and years of faithful reporting that fed this site and made it all possible. To me, as site administrator, it was a labor love. My only regret was that traffic never grew to levels I thought it deserved--although we know there have been some dedicated followers, too.

If someone out there has as an idea for replacing Doug's excellent dispatches, I'm open to soldiering on. Just let us know. Otherwise, this is farewell!

September 27, 2009

Russia is busy on all fronts trying to re-establish its lost empire. Its first priority is to secure the Northern Caucasus. Fighting has spread from Chechnya into neighboring Dagestan and Ingushetia.

Four Russian maneuvers last week resulted in the death of 11 insurgents. A suicide bomber blew herself up in front of a police car in the Chechen capital of Grozny, wounding six people. No one else was killed.

Russia’s second priority is to retake Georgia. The first step toward that goal has been completed with the recognition and occupation of the Georgian breakaway regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia.

Russia gave Venezuela a $2 billion loan to purchase high-tech military equipment in exchange for becoming the third country to recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. The United States is concerned that this will set off an arms race in the Americas. Russia then threatened to seize any Georgian ships that enter waters near Abkhazia, even though the United Nations recognizes those waters as belonging to Georgia.

On Sept. 15, the Abkhaz Orthodox Church officially split from the Georgian Orthodox Church. Yet again, only the Russian Orthodox Church recognizes this split. The Russian government also signed defense treaties with both rebellious regions on the same day.

The 2012 presidential election has unofficially begun. When asked on Sept. 14 whether he would again seek the presidency, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin left the door open by saying he would think about it and decide later. President Dmitry Medvedev was asked the following day whether he would seek re-election, and he said he would not rule out the possibility.

Aleksey Nikiforov, a member of the opposition Other Russia movement, was sentenced to one year in prison on Sept. 14. He was charged with extremist activities and inciting hatred for allegedly drawing racist graffiti on a wall in Yekaterinburg. He denies all charges.

Police detained four opposition activists on Sept. 15 for holding an unsanctioned demonstration against new plans for the growth of Moscow. The protesters were demanding an audience with the city's chief architect.

President Kurmanbek Bakiyev has figured out a way to look like a reformist and gain more power at the same time. He announced the creation of two new consultative bodies, the Presidential Conference and the Supreme Kurultay, which allegedly will allow the people more direct access to the president and a say in decision making. But in reality, it will do exactly the opposite.

Just as Barrack Obama has appointed numerous Czars to bypass the legislature, these two bodies will allow the president to make quick decisions without consultation by simply manipulating the masses with government-controlled media.

The government arrested human rights activist Ravshan Azizov for alleged membership in the banned Islamic terror organization Hizb ut-Tahrir and with illegal gun possession. Ravshan Gapirov, his colleague and director of the human rights center A Just Court—The Truth, claims that the government has arrested him for his political activities.

September 26, 2009

President Alexander Lukashenka made his second trip to Europe since travel restrictions imposed because of his dictatorial rule were lifted. He traveled to Lithuania for a joint business forum between the two countries. He took the opportunity to warn Europe that he will not be pushed around by them.

"We want to be a bridge between the East and West. Why should we get rid of our relationship with Russia? Who would benefit from that?" Lukashenka said. "I want the Europeans to understand we cannot be pushed about or made to do anything we don't want to."

The following day Lukashenka was more conciliatory toward his hosts when he said his country was diversifying its economy to make it less dependent on Russia. But he was careful not to upset his northern neighbor. "To reiterate, we did this purposely, so as to move away from dependence on just one country, even one that is near and dear to us," he said.

Lithuania diplomats did inform Lukashenka that he would have to continue making democratic and human right reforms if he wants the travel restriction lifted permanently.

What was Lukashenka's response? Police used clubs to break up a peaceful protest memorializing government critics that have gone missing over the years.

The 30 protesters had gathered on October Square on Sept. 16. Police surrounded the protesters and ordered them to disperse. The protestors sat down in defiance. The police then attacked the crowds with clubs, feet and fists. The police also attacked photographers, threatening to break their equipment if they did not erase video footage they had taken of the beatings.

Sergey Kovalenko was arrested on Sept. 14 for displaying the old national flag Vitebsk Victory Square. The banned white-and-red flag represented the short-lived Belarusian People's Republic in 1918 before the Bolsheviks overran the region. It has become the flag of the opposition. Two days later Kovalenko was fined $375, roughly one month’s salary.

September 24, 2009

Tensions between Georgia and Russia reached a new high last week as Georgia moved to enforce its UN-recognized sovereignty over the two break-away republics of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. Only Russia, Nicaragua and Venezuela recognize their independence. The week prior Georgia began to take control of its territorial waters in the Black Sea by blocking shipments into rebel Abkhazian ports.

On Sept. 15, Russia signed a defense pact with both Abkhazia and South Ossetia. "In accordance with the agreements, Russia has the right to build, use and improve military infrastructure and military bases in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and create and maintain joint military contingents in times of peace and war," said Alexei Kuznetsov, the press secretary for the Russian defense ministry.

Russia then announced it would seize any Georgian ships in waters claimed by Abkhazia. Georgia dismissed the Russian threat and vowed to continue its internationally recognized control of territorial waters.

Mediation talks between Armenia and Turkey might threaten the popularity of President Serzh Sarkisyan. Sarkisyan and Turkish President Abdullah Gul announced the "Armenian Opening" on Sept. 1.

They vowed to meet with the leaders of political parties as part of the reconciliation process. Sarkisyan held a meeting with more than 50 political party leaders, mostly supporters of his rule, on Sept. 17. Almost all opposition leaders boycotted the meeting.

The opposition is opposed to protocols in the treaty that would require Armenia to drop its campaign for international recognition of genocide committed against their county by Turkey during World War I. A joint committee would be formed to do research on the events with both countries agreeing to open up their archives to the committee.

Although it is not one of the protocols, Turkey would find it difficult to approve the treaty as long as Armenia occupies the territory of Azerbaijan known as Nagorno-Karabakh.

The ruling Nur-Otan party proposed legislation naming Nursultan Nazarbayev president-for-life on Sept. 14. Nazarbayev has already served for 20 years by manipulating the constitution. Several leaders in the Senate shared that they would support such a constitutional reform.

On Sept. 18, activists from the opposition Azat Party sent a copy of the constitution wrapped in chains as a protest to such an idea. They also organized a petition in opposition to changing the constitution. Nazarbayev has made no comment about the proposed reforms.

The Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) was strangely silent. This could prove to be embarrassing for the democracy-building organization as Kazakhstan is scheduled to chair it starting in January. The OSCE said it would remain silent in hopes that Nazarbayev will do the right thing.

The OSCE is also embarrassed about how its soon-to-be leader is treating its critics. Kazakh journalist Andrei Sviridov was arrested on Sept. 16 for the crime of holding a public demonstration in support of arrested human rights activist Yevgeny Zhovtis.

Two days later he was fined $80 and released. Zhovtis was charged with manslaughter after a drunken man walked in front of his moving car. The police had cleared him of any responsibility, but the government saw this as a chance to punish one of its biggest enemies.

On Sept. 19, the OSCE called on the government to ensure a fair appeal trial for Zhovtis. How pathetic! The OSCE should demand a fair trial and postpone Nazarbayev's leading of their organization.

The five opposition parties that make up the Union for Democracy have held talks for an opposition forum, but could not reach agreement.

"It is necessary to hold [an] opposition forum. We would like it to take place prior to the municipal elections. The union believes that the opposition parties need to agree upon on a number of issues," said Ahmad Oruj, chairman of the opposition Azadlig Party.

Mohammad Gubanov, 56, works as an import vendor. On Sept. 12, custom officials demanded extra payments for him to import goods from Turkey. When he refused to pay the bribe, he was taken to an Interior Ministry office, where his goods were destroyed. He was then forced to sign a request to be admitted into a mental hospital.

The trial of two Internet bloggers who were critical of the government began on Sept. 4. Emin Milli and Adnan Hajizada were arrested and charged with hooliganism after they defended themselves against two attackers while eating in a restaurant on July 8.

Prior to the trial the court rejected a complaint by the parents that they were not allowed to visit their sons while in detention. On the first day of the trial, the court rejected a motion by the defense for a conditional release of the two bloggers as well as a request for an additional investigation into the charges. The judge also rejected any video recordings from nearby security cameras or from cell phones by witnesses to be submitted as evidence.

The second day of the trial was held on Sept. 16. Six friends of the bloggers were denied entry into the court because they were wearing T-shirts that read, "I am also a hooligan."

The third day of the trial was held on Sept. 18. One of the attackers, Babek Huseynov, testified that he was pushed by Hajizada and hurt his nose. When asked what he wrote in his complaint, he said he wrote "what the police told me."

With the announcement by President Barrack Obama that the United States would no longer abide by its words and honor the agreement that was made with Poland and the Czech Republic concerning the deployment of missiles and defense systems, Azerbaijan becomes a country of greater interest to the United States.

Azerbaijan, which borders Iran, already has a radar system installed by the former Soviet Union that could be used to keep an eye on Iran. This means that Azerbaijan will be freer to disregard human rights in exchange for allowing its radar systems to be used by Western democracies.

September 23, 2009

The U.S. ambassador praised Moldova on Sept. 16, saying it was "on the path to democracy." He noted that two elections were held this year. He did add that democratic reforms were still needed.

The Communist Party said it might be persuaded to support a liberal democratic president if the four-party democratic alliance promises to keep salaries and pensions growing and vows to keep Moldova out of NATO. The new democratic government has said salaries and pensions must be put into check to get the country out of its economic woes.

On Sept. 17, the first non-Communist officially became president of Moldova. With the resignation of Communist Vladimir Voronin, the constitution states that the parliamentary speaker becomes acting president until a new appointment is made.

Speaker Mihai Ghimpu officially became that acting president when the constitutional court confirmed him. Ghimpu then appointed the leader of an allied democratic party, Vlad Filat, as prime minister. He has 15 days to form a new government.

Filat immediately announced that the government must install austerity measures in order for the country to receive assistance from the International Monetary Fund. This action rules out any cooperation with the Communist Party.

The democratic coalition does not have enough votes to appoint the next president. Eight communist delegates will have to support their candidate or parliament will dissolve again and new parliamentary elections will be called for next year. So, it just may be a short-lived government.

Parliament, now under democratic forces, voted to scrap the ban on dual citizenship. The ban was instituted to force pro-Romanian opposition members of the government to renounce their Romanian citizenship. Twenty percent of members of parliament have a Romanian passport.

September 20, 2009

On Sept. 8, Janez Lenarcic, director of the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), visited Tashkent and praised the regime for progress in human rights and promised to improve relations.

"We are encouraged by the progress made recently in implementing some of the commitments Uzbekistan has adopted as a participating State of the OSCE, including efforts to improve detention conditions, the release of some human rights defenders, and the abolition of the death penalty," Lenarcic said.

Uzbek human right groups were aghast at the statement. Thousands of their comrades are being held as political prisoners throughout the country. The only explanation for this uncalled-for praise is the desire of the West to use Uzbekistan as a supply platform for troops in Afghanistan.